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This Winter Vegetable Soup takes no time to develop an abundance of flavor. It’ll fill you up and leave you feeling warm and pleasant inside.
Here are some yummy breads to serve on the side to sop up the soup: Sweet Potato Cornbread, Buttermilk Biscuits, Moist Southern Cornbread, Garlic Chive Cheddar Biscuits, and Flatbread with Shallot Butter.
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Most of America is bringing in 2018 with an arctic blast. I cannot tell you the last time it was this cold in New Orleans, but I'm just happy to have a true winter.
It was 25 degrees in New Orleans when I returned home after the holidays, but it felt like 13 degrees!
With the cold weather sweeping the nation, I can guess that many of you feel the same way I do right now. You probably do not feel like going anywhere. You do not feel like cooking. And If you do cook, it better be something hot and fast that will warm you up. Am I right?
I went to the store and got the basics for a great vegetable soup: onions, celery, and carrots. I remembered that turnips and kale are in season, so I grabbed a couple each.
I know many people don't eat turnips, let alone in their soup, but enjoy potatoes year-round. Turnips have a potato texture and sweeter flavor without all the starch. They are great in soups or as a side dish and can be cooked with butter and herbs.
As I pulled together the ingredients, I thought, "This vegetable soup needed one more thing to make it filling since I was not using potatoes."
Pasta! That's right, pasta in soup is filling and absorbs all the wonderful flavors of the broth like a sponge. I recommend you use a small pasta like orzo, small shells, macaroni or my new find radiatore (they look like a car radiator).
Smaller pasta can fit with the other ingredients on your spoon. That'll allow you to enjoy everything in one bite.
This soup is vegan-friendly, not by design, because I wanted an authentic vegetable soup without meat. However, if you insist on adding meat, I recommend adding mini meatballs, chicken, or sausage to the soup. It's your soup, so remix it how you like it. I hope you make this your go-to soup as the winter months continue.
Key Ingredients
Here are all the ingredients needed to make a hearty vegetable soup.
Root Vegetables
I like to use a classic French Mirepoix for my vegetable soup, onion, celery, and carrots. However, that's not enough to feed my cravings, so you'll need some shallots, garlic, and Tuscan kale.
Herbs
You'll need dry thyme, oregano, and bay leaves. Use fresh thyme sprigs, oregano, and bay leaf if you have them.
Tomato Paste
The tomato paste adds some body to the soup and a rich, umami (meaty) flavor to the broth.
Red Wine
A little red wine will take the soup flavor to new heights. Think of this as doing the same thing a squeeze of lemon juice would do to enhance the flavors.
Pasta
I love to use small pasta instead of potatoes to make a hearty soup.
Low-Sodium Vegetable Broth
Using vegetable stock adds flavor and saves time. I prefer low-sodium or no-sodium because I will season it perfectly.
How To Make Winter Vegetable Soup
I wanted my winter vegetable soup recipe to be loaded with flavor from seasonal vegetables and be something I could make in under an hour.
In a large soup pot over medium heat, add olive oil, onions, shallots, celery, carrots, and kale; cook for 3 minutes. If you're using potatoes instead of pasta, add them here.
Add garlic, dried thyme, dried oregano, and bay leaves; cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, red wine, vegetable broth, salt, and peppers. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes. Adjust seasonings, divide into bowls, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley; serve with crackers or crusty bread on the side.
How To Store Winter Vegetable Soup
Vegetable soup is good for 7 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Cool completely before storing away.
Freeze soup in an airtight container for 2 months. Thaw for 24 hours before reheating.
Reheat soup in a pot for 10 minutes until hot; time will vary depending on the amount you're reheating.
Pro Recipe Substitution, Tips & Tricks
Here are the best practices, techniques, substitutes, and flavor builders you'll need for some delicious soup.
- Feel free to use fire-roasted tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes instead of tomato paste.
- You can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth if you don't need it to be vegetarian. Chicken stock and broth can be used interchangeably.
- You can use 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar instead of red wine. Feel free to use white wine instead of red wine.
- Make the winter vegetable soup creamy by stirring in 1 can of coconut milk.
- Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper if you want more spicy notes to your soup.
- It's your soup, so feel free to use your favorite winter veggies.
- Feel free to add some meatballs or smoked sausage to the soup.
- To quickly cool off a big batch of vegetable soup a day before you cook it. Remove the labels, wash and clean two 2-liter bottles, fill them with water, and freeze them. Once you finish your batch, stirring occasionally, place one bottle in the soup to quickly cool it off. Swap in the other bottle if the soup is still hot once the ice has melted.
FAQ
Here are the top questions readers have about making the best winter vegetable soup at home.
What are the best vegetables to put in soup?
There are no wrong vegetables to use in a vegetable soup; these are guaranteed to work: Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, chopped green beans, cannellini beans, kidney beans, cabbage, turnips, collards, and butternut squash.
What is the key to flavorful soup?
Adding flavor to your soup always starts with your base ingredients. Be sure to cook aromatics in olive oil or butter, like onions, shallots, leeks, carrots, bell peppers, and celery, to bring out their flavor. Adding tomato paste, soy sauce, or worcestershire sauce adds umami flavors. Also, be sure to use fresh herbs or dried herbs like an Italian seasoning, fresh thyme, rosemary, basil, or oregano.
Plus, don't forget to use a fair amount of salt and pepper, smoked paprika, white pepper, or garlic powder to make the flavors sing. Lastly, use a delicious broth or stock and garnish the soup with a squeeze of lemon juice, cheese, chopped parsley, croutons, or a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Are vegetables in soup still healthy?
Homemade soups are generally healthier than canned ones because they're not loaded with sodium to make them shelf-stable. Cooking vegetables in the soup helps break down tough fibers, making it easier to absorb the rich nutrients.
What thickens vegetable soup?
To make your vegetable soup thicker, you've got a few options. First, throw in a potato - it'll release starch as it cooks and do the trick. Another way is to mix flour with your vegetables to make a roux before adding the broth. Or, make a slurry with equal parts water and cornstarch (1 tablespoon cornstarch for every 1 cup of liquid), mix it in, and bring the soup to a boil. Remember not to dump flour or cornstarch directly into hot soup - it'll clump up. Lastly, if you've got a blender or an immersion blender, give the soup a whirl - the vegetables will do their magic and thicken it up.
Will canned potatoes thicken soup?
Yes, canned potatoes can help thicken soup. The starch in the potatoes breaks down during the cooking process and helps to thicken the broth. Keep in mind that canned potatoes are already cooked, so they don't require a long cooking time as raw potatoes would. Additionally, canned potatoes often contain added salt, so wait to add salt to your soup to adjust the amount needed.
More Delicious Soup Recipes
Here are a few more mouthwatering recipes to add to your recipe rotation:
- Yakamein
- New Orleans Seafood Gumbo
- New Orleans Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
- Vegan Okra Gumbo
- Gumbo Z'herbs
- Corn and Mushroom Bisque
Before You Begin
Before getting started, here are the steps I use to get organized.
Step 1: Read the recipe once to ensure you have all the vegetables and understand the steps.
Step 2: Measure everything out into individual bowls.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best vegetable soup you've had this year.
Winter vegetable soup is more than just a warm, comforting dish. It's a celebration of seasonal produce, a testament to the power of simple ingredients, and a fantastic way to nourish your body during the soup season. Whether you're an experienced cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this soup is a forgiving and versatile recipe that invites experimentation. Don't be afraid to mix and match your favorite winter vegetables or add some extra herbs and spices for a personalized touch.
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📖 Recipe
25-Minute Winter Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 medium onion chopped medium
- 1 shallot chopped medium
- 3 stalks celery chopped medium
- 3 carrots peeled, halved, chopped medium
- 2 medium turnips peeled, halved, chopped medium
- 1 bunch Tuscan/lacinato kale washed, stemmed, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic chopped fine
- ½ teaspoon dry thyme
- ½ teaspoon dry oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ cup red wine
- 3 quarts low-sodium vegetable stock
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- ½ pound pasta orzo, macaroni, small shells
- ½ bunch Italian parsley chopped fine
- saltine crackers optional
- crusty bread optional
Instructions
- In a pot over medium heat, add avocado oil, onions, shallots, celery, carrots, turnips, and kale; cook for 3 minutes.
- Add garlic, thyme, oregano, bay leaves cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste, wine, stock, salt, and peppers. Bring to a boil and let cook for 10 minutes, covered.
- Add pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes. Adjust seasonings, divide into bowls and garnish with parsley, serve crackers or crusty bread on the side.
Notes
- Feel free to use fire-roasted tomatoes or diced canned tomatoes instead of tomato paste.
- You can use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth if you don't need it to be vegetarian. Chicken stock and broth can be used interchangeably.
- You can use 2 tablespoons of sherry vinegar instead of red wine. Feel free to use white wine instead of red wine.
- Make the winter vegetable soup creamy by stirring in 1 can of coconut milk.
- Add some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper if you want more spicy notes to your soup.
- It's your soup, so feel free to use your favorite winter veggies.
- Feel free to add some meatballs or smoked sausage to the soup.
- To quickly cool off a big batch of vegetable soup a day before you cook it. Remove the labels, wash and clean two 2-liter bottles, fill them with water, and freeze them. Once you finish your batch, stirring occasionally, place one bottle in the soup to quickly cool it off. Swap in the other bottle if the soup is still hot once the ice has melted.
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